 /  Proof #3 in: An Oriental Devotion, ed. Abbas Akbari, Teheran 2015, 6-41/68-103 (English & images)[Persian text 104-85/5-24] “The Most Beautiful”: The History of the 623/1226 Lustre Mihrab from Kashan and Persian Art Collecting in Europe Markus Ritter * 7Ke IaPRus lustre PiKrab signed by alণasan ibn ދ$rabsKƗK and dated 23/122 IrRP tKe 0asMidi ޏIPƗd ad'Ưn at 0aidƗni 6ang in .asKan Figure 1 Kas Kad an aPa]ing Fareer. 0Rved in tKe 19tK and 20tK Fenturies as a KigKly appreFiated RbMeFt RI 3ersian art tR diIIerent plaFes in (urRpe it is nRw a KigKligKt in tKe 0useuP RI IslaPiF $rt in %erlin Figure 12 and was FKRsen at tKe beginning RI tKe 21st Fentury as tKe FRver iPage RI tKe internatiRnally PRst widely NnRwn te[tbRRN Rn Pedieval IslaPiF art Figure 11. 1 1Rw in 1437/2015 ｱ depending Rn tKe Falendar PRre tKan Rr alPRst ｱ eigKt Kundred years aIter its PanuIaFture tKis PiKrab Kas glRriRusly reappeared in Iran as a FRpy prRduFed by tKe lustre FeraPiFs e[pert and pRtter $bbas $Nbari. 7Ke Rriginal PiKrab Kad been taNen IrRP 4aMar Iran tR a private FRlleFtiRn in :iPbledRn FlRse tR LRndRn in (ngland in 197 it was sRld in 1927 tR tKe IslaPiF $rt 'epartPent RI tKe %erlin 6tate 0useuPs in *erPany taNen in 1945 as bRRty RI war tR tKe 6Rviet 8niRn returned in 195 tR tKe PuseuP in wKat tKen was (ast %erlin in tKe *erPan 'ePRFratiF 5epubliF and is nRw tKe Fapital RI tKe Federal 5epubliF RI *erPany. 6uFK IardistanFe travel RI RbMeFts RI art tKrRugK tiPe FRuntry and FRnte[t is nRt uniTue tR 3ersian art Rr tR tKe PRdern periRd. ObMeFts RI art Kave PRre RIten tKan nRt Pany lives witK diIIerent FRnte[ts RI use. 7Key FRuld beFRPe a giIt sent away as a diplRPatiF present sRld as a FRstly arteIaFt stRlen Rr taNen as a trRpKy ｱ and eaFK RI tKese pRssibly several tiPes tKrRugKRut tKeir e[istenFe. <et tKis PiKrab e[ePpliｿes tKree pKenRPena surrRunding tKe transIer RI arteIaFts and RbMeFts RI Paterial Fulture tKat seeP tR be partiFular tR tKe 19tK and early 20tK Fenturies: tKe largesFale PRvePent RI nRn(urRpean KistRriFal arteIaFts tR (urRpe and tKe :est in a grRwing ParNet IRr private and publiF FRlleFtiRns driven by aestKetiF and sFKRlarly interests and by a desire tR aFTuire and Peasure tKe wRrld witKin tKe RIten FRlRnial perspeFtives RI tKe periRd tKe PRvePent RI large arFKiteFtural elePents wKiFK a PiKrab RI tKis si]e is Rr even tKe Pain parts RI a building tKat were detaFKed IrRP tKe Rriginal ｱ sRPetKing Tuite diIIerent IrRP tKe PRvePent RI individual sPall RbMeFts RI art and tKe aFTuisitiRn and seleFtiRn RI RbMeFts IrRP Iran tKat served tR FRnstruFt a :estern iPage RI 3ersian art wKiFK beFaPe aFFepted in Iran itselI suFK as PaniIested in tKe inﾀuential 6urvey RI 3ersian $rt ｿrst publisKed in 193ｱ39. 2